Before Dawn
by forestpelt
Summary: When Rainpaw, a kind tom apprentice, wishing for an adventure, sets out to a dawn patrol, he has no way of knowing that his best friend will die, He will meet his greatest enamy and uncover many secrets of Desertclan and the noturius leader, Darkstar. R
1. Clans

* * *

**Desertclan**

Leader: Darkstar - a dark brown she-cat with amber eyes.

Deputy: Fernflower - a tortishell she-cat with pine green eyes. Apprentice- Rainpaw.

Medicine Cat: Spottedpelt - a tortishell she-cat with blue eyes.

_Warriors:_

Grayheart - a gray tabby tom with amber eyes. Apprentice- Hawkpaw

Flametail - a ginger tom with green eyes

Forestpelt - a tortishell tom with green eyes

Stormheart - a dark grey tom with blue eyes. Apprentice- Brownpaw

Silvertail - a silvery grey she-cat with blue eyes. Hollyheart's sister

Lightfoot - a black she-cat with grey paws and amber eyes. Apprentice- Birdpaw

Moonfur - a silver she-cat with blue eyes.

Flightfoot - a dark gray she-cat with blue eyes. Apprentice- Hailpaw

Clawedheart - a dark tabby with many scars, including a large one on his chest.

Smallclaw - a white tom with green eyes

Birdflight - a light ginger tabby she-cat with very long legs

Sunstorm - a light ginger she-cat with amber eyes

_Apprentices:_

Rainpaw - a grey tom with green eyes

Birdpaw - a light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Brownpaw - a dark brown tom with amber eyes

Hailpaw - a black tom with a white underbelly and paws

_Queens:_

Nightpelt - a small black she-cat with blue eyes. Mother of Smallclaw's kits: Wetkit and Treekit.

Rainfur - a grey she-cat. Will be mother of Flametail's kits.

_Elders:_

Windtail - a grey tom with a white tail-tip.

Foxpelt - a ginger she-cat with markings like a fox

Stonefoot - a grey tom. Eldest Desertclan tom

Blind-eye - a half-blind ginger she-cat. Eldest cat in Desertclan.

**Frostclan**

Leader: Flamestar - a ginger tom.

Deputy: Whitefrost - a white tom

-Apprentice: Bloodpaw - a dark tabby with blood red glints

**Nightclan**

Leader: Moonstar - a silver she-cat.

**Dawnclan**

Leader: Sunstar - a ginger tom

**Cats Outside Clans**

Lightstar - a pure white she-cat with blue eyes. Formally of Desertclan

Zoe - a friendly tortishell she-cat who live's on the borders of Desertclan teritory


	2. Prologue

**Prologue**

"Good-bye, Littlestar!" called a tortishell tom to small white she-cat running acrost the horizon. The tom walked into the brush near him. He came out on the other side of the brush. A stocky looking she-cat walked up to him.

"Greetings, Brushfoot." He said to her. The she-cat looked around.

"Tallpaw's ready to become a warrior." She said. The tortishell looked at her.

"That's very good. How about we go on the dawn patrol tomorrow?" He said.

"That sound's good, Patchedstar." Brushfoot said. Patchedstar looked at her again. "Tell him he's going on the dawn patrol and to get some sleep." He said.

"Okay!" Brushfoot said. She walked off towards a small brush pile. Patchedstar stalked into a large rock cave. He was confused. Littlestar, the small white she-cat, had said she was staying. She said her deputy had nearly killed her, and she was secretly pregnant, yet she had left that day. And, although most of the clan hated her for being an outsider, Patchedstar knew he loved her. Deeply troubled, Patchedstar layed down, and fell asleep.

* * *

Far off, Littlestar lay in the shelter of a bush. She was not asleep; she was to troubled to sleep. _Why, why did I leave Patchedstar? Why did I leave desertclan in the first place? Why did Darktree try to kill me? What if when I get back, Darktree had convinced them I was dead and they won't let me back into the clan? What if I don't even make it back? _Then the answers came over her. _I left Patchedstar to go back to my clan. I was wrong to leave my clan with Darktree as a leader! I have to save them, know that I know what she will do for power._ Although these questions troubled her all night, Littlestar finally was able to sleep.

* * *

In the sky, two stars were all that were left of the night. In the distance, a mesa stood royaly above the desert. Three cats slinked out of a clump of brush. From another clump, came a slightly smaller dark grey cat. Silently, they got together, two of the larger cats got in front, while the two smaller ones went behind them. They moved out of the brushy part of the desert, headed for the mesa. 


	3. 1 The Kits

-1Chapter One: The Kits

Silvertail and Forestpelt led the patrol. Fernflower and Rainpaw followed behind them. "Fernflower! What is that noise?" Rainpaw mewed

"I don't hear anything." Fernflower replied.

"It sound's like kits!'" Rainpaw mewed. "Silvertail! I think I hear kits!"

"Well, let's go see. If there were kits out here alone, they wouldn't last long; they'd either die of thirst or be picked up by a hawk." She said. "Come on up and lead us." Rainpaw stepped in front of Forestpelt and Silvertail.

"Come on I think it was coming from roadrunner falls." He mewed.

"Good, because that's where we were headed." Forestpelt mewed.

"Come on, hurry up!" Rainpaw mewed. The four cats began walking towards the mesa.

"Alright. We're never going to get there before sunlight if we don't get moving!" Silvertail mewed.

"Yah. For the last time hurry up!" Rainpaw mewed. He bolted off towards the mesa.

The rest followed him.

"Rainpaw, slow down and wait for us!" Silvertail yowled.

"Yah, we're not all young apprentices!" Forestpelt added.

But Rainpaw was already at the foot of the mesa, which had turned out to be a towering water-fall. Rainpaw leaped onto the first, low, rock. There was many rocks he would half to climb, so the saved his energy by backing up and running, rather then trying to leap nearly straight up.

Rainpaw landed gracefully on the rock with a soft thud. A rock now stood in-between him and the desert, so he couldn't see where his clan mates were. There was a crack in the without soaking up as much energy.

Rainpaw peered at his clan mates one last time before beginning to walk to the crack in the rocks.

He stopped in his tracks. There were voices coming from inside the crack.

"…But what if Desertclan decides that the kits are there's?" came the voice of a she-cat.

"Then we'll fight them of course." growled a the voice of a tom.

_These cats aren't Desertclan. _Rainpaw thought. _I can tell from the way they talk about us._

"After all. These are orders from Flamestar. What else would we do, tell him we were such kitty-pets that we just gave the kits away?" came a third voice, a tom, but older sounding then the other.

_Flamestar, the Frostclan leader._ Rainpaw thought. Frostclan was the well known enemy of Desertclan. Darkstar, the Desertclan leader, was known for being soft towards Frostclan, yet ordering attack after attack on Treeclan and Fieldclan.

_That older tom must be the deputy, Whitefrost. _Rainpaw thought. _maybe that other tom is Bloodpaw, Whitefrost's apprentice. I have no idea who that she-cat is though._

"True. I'm happy to have you as a mentor, Whitefrost, or I would've been so mouse-brained to not know when I was supposed to fight." the young apprentice, Bloodpaw, mewed.

_That apprentice better show some respect for his mentor._ Rainpaw thought.

He peeked out at the three cats. He saw the she-cat, who looked very embarrassed. She looked at him for a heartbeat before yowling

"Desertclan! Intruder! Right there!"

The toms looked up from each other. Bloodpaw arched his back and hissed. The she-cat backed beside him. Whitefrost sprung after Rainpaw, but was to late. Rainpaw knew that if he got to the opening beneath a rock jutting out from the waterfall, he would be able to throw Whitefrost into the water-fall, and he would not of really killed him, Whitefrost would've just fallen over the water-fall. Rainpaw ran through the tunnels in the rock.

_I could also make it hard for him to follow me, and he would get lost in these tunnels. That wouldn't be as bad as throwing him off the water-fall. _He thought.

Soon, however, he heard fast-sounding footsteps behind him.

_Well that won't work now, I guess I'll just half to, err, throw him off the falls._ He realized. The footsteps behind quickened, and so did Rainpaw's. Rainpaw broke into a run. A cool breeze swept against Rainpaw's dark gray fur. He realized what the breeze meant. He was getting closer to the falls.

Rainpaw was right. He slipped into the morning air by the falls. He waited for Whitefrost to come out of the hole. He readied himself to pounce on his enemy. He could hear Whitefrost's footsteps coming closer and closer.

_It's not killing him, it's pushing him over a cliff into swirling waters that you're sure to die in._ Rainpaw told himself. _I'm not the murderer, the water I'm going to push him into is._

Whitefrost came running onto the ledge.

"what's your plan to get away? Attacking me? Well, that's mouse-brained!" he mewed coldly.

Rainpaw leaped into Whitefrost. Whitefrost whirled Rainpaw in the air for a heartbeat and slammed him down onto the cliff.

"I would've just thrown you off, but I would rather push you off myself!" Whitefrost growled. Rainpaw tried to get a paw hold on the rock, but it was to slippery and smooth.

_I'm going to die!_ Rainpaw thought.

A tortishell she-cat flew into Whitefrost, knocking him off Rainpaw.

"Fernflower!" he mewed. Fernflower pushed Whitefrost away from Rainpaw. "Fernflower! I can handle him myself! You go get the kits!" Rainpaw mewed franticly, seeing how close the two battling cats were to the edge.

"He would kill me if I let go now!" she mewed back at him. "you already sound like a leader!" There was a sad look in Fernflower's pine green eyes. Rainpaw's eyes met hers' for a moment, and Fernflower resumed fighting Whitefrost. She stepped closer to the edge, forcing Whitefrost closer to certain death with her.

"Fernflower! No!" Rainpaw yowled, but it was already to late.

Fernflower pushed Whitefrost over the ledge, forcing herself over to. Rainpaw stepped close to the edge, but staying far enough away not to get unbalanced. The waterfall plunged down merciless. Rainpaw knew that no cat could have survived the fall, but he wanted to look, just to see if his mentor had possibly survived. A clatter from inside the hole awakened Rainpaw back to his senses.

_If I don't move, Bloodpaw and that she-cat will finish me off._ he thought.

Rainpaw hurried into the hole on the other side of the ledge.

Rainpaw raced up a steep slope. It tired him, but he kept going, knowing it would tire his pursuers to.

Rainpaw grew more tired with each step. He could hear the other cats, shuffling to keep up.

Soon, Rainpaw was slow enough to hear there voices.

"Mousefoot!" snapped Bloodpaw, "Hurry up! That stupid cat is probably to the kits be now!"

_It should be be warrior ordering apprentice, not the other way around! _Rainpaw thought. The she-cat, apparently named Mousefoot, seemed to think the same thing.

"You are the apprentice! Shoulden't _I _be ordering _you_ around?" She hissed back. "I just can't believe that Whitefrost is dead!"

"Well, he is. Accept it!" Bloodpaw snarled.

Rainpaw was tired of listening to them fight. He started trotting up the rock again. A small hole in the rock revealed that Rainpaw was high up on the falls now. Rainpaw knew he would've enjoyed the view if the falls he was overlooking hadn't been the death of his mentor. He started back up again, wondering how far behind Bloodpaw and Mousefoot were, and if there was more warriors here.

Rainpaw decided to rehearse what he would say to Darkstar. _"we heard them on the falls. I climbed up the tunnels to the top." he mewed in his mind as he imagined giving the kits to his leader. "…but there were enemy warriors in our territory to, they were also after the kits." he mewed to Darkstar. "…that's why Fernflower isn't here." he mewed. The crowd of cats gathered under Cactus Rock gasped. "…I was being chased by three enemy warriors. Whitefrost was one of them. He had almost pushed my over the ledge when Fernflower appeared out of nowhere. She attacked him and pushed him over the ledge, but she payed the price. She also fell over the ledge. I tried to save her, but I couldn't."_

Suddenly, a ray of sunlight hit Rainpaw. He had reached the top of the falls. The wind nearly blew him over.

"Better be careful!" he could hear Fernflower joke. He turned around, almost expecting to see the tortishell , again appearing out of nowhere, but instead, he saw a blood-soaked tabby with another, smaller tabby hanging from his jaws.

"Bloodpaw!" Rainpaw hissed. The tabby dropped the dead she-cat onto the ground.

"A warriors never kills a cat from their own clan! You should know that!" Rainpaw mewed, astonished.

"I don't care what Starclan says! They're only kit's tales!" Bloodpaw growled.

"The clans wouldn't be clans if it weren't for the warrior code! There would only be a bunch of savage rouges!" Rainpaw mewed. He could hear Fernflower praising him in the back of his mind.

"Give me the kits." Bloodpaw demanded.

"No." Rainpaw replied. He tried to hide his fear in his voice, but he couldn't.

"Give me the kits." Bloodpaw repeated.

"No"

"Give me the kits!" Bloodpaw leaped at Rainpaw, who was caught be surprise. The heavy tabby pinned down he small, gray Rainpaw. Rainpaw flung him off. The tabby flew towards the falls. Rainpaw's eyes widened with terror. The tabby landed on the side of the falls. He struggled to get up, but couldn't. Terror stabbed at Rainpaw like the teeth of a coyote.

"I don't want to kill." Rainpaw mewed. "I'll help you on one condition. That you will leave without a fight. Feel lucky that your alive, even if you don't have the kits. You can say that the deputy attacked you." Rainpaw felt stupid letting this murderous apprentice away.

"Fine, I'll agree." mewed Bloodpaw. "just don't let me die."

Rainpaw bit down on Bloodpaw's paw. The cat flinched, but let Rainpaw continue. Rainpaw began to pull on Bloodpaw, who kicked with his back legs until he was up.

"Now give me the kits." he mewed.

"you agreed to leave without the kits. Go." Rainpaw replied. Bloodpaw limped down the tunnel without another word.

Rainpaw ran to the kits. There were two, both she-cats. One was golden like the sun with amber eyes, the other was blue-gray and had blue eyes. Rainpaw picked up the golden one and let the silver one follow.

The three cats soon left the cave.

Forestpelt nodded. "We saw everything." he mewed. Rainpaw dropped the kit and hurried towards the pool at the foot of the falls. A bit of tortishell fur floated in the center. Rainpaw splashed towards it. He pulled it up. Sure enough, it was Rainpaw's beloved mentor.

"No!" he yowled.

"Rainpaw?" Silvertail mewed, worried about her nephew.

"Fernflower!" Rainpaw yowled. He plunged into the cool water. He needed to breath, but wouldn't come up.

"Rainpaw?" Silvertail mewed again. She pulled him up but, without taking a breath, he plunged back down. He felt dizzy, and plunged into darkness and cold.


	4. 2 Darkstar

-1Chapter Two: Darkstar

It was as cold as ice. Rainpaw felt as if he were falling. Suddenly, he hit the ground. The darkness and cold lifted. Rainpaw stood in a misty clearing. It was still a bit chilly, but not as cold as before. Cats surrounded Rainpaw. Two stood out. Hollyheart was one. Hollyheart was Rainpaw's mother, and Silvertail's sister. She had been killed by coyotes.

"Mother!" Rainpaw mewed. He nuzzled her. The other was Fernflower. He touched noses with her and realized the horrible truth. _Am I dead? _He thought.

"Am I dead?" he asked Fernflower.

"yes. You are. You killed yourself out of grief for me. I am astonished by your loyalty, but next time, be your careful about what you do." she replied.

"But I'm dead! There is no 'next time!'" Rainpaw mewed, confused.

"I do not think that I should be responsible for your death through loyalty, there-fore, you are not in Starclan yet." Rainpaw was confused.

"Go now, my son." mewed Hollyheart. The cats disappeared and Rainpaw was returned to cold and darkness.

"No!" he yowled, but the darkness only pulled him more.

* * *

"No!" Rainpaw was still yowling when he awoke. He was laying near the body of Fernflower. The water lapped gently at him. That rays of the rising sun warmed his body.

Rainpaw shook of the night's dream's fear and stretched. He saw that the kits, as well as Forestpelt and Silvertail, were gone. He also saw a patrol of three cats heading towards him.

"Here! Here! I'm over here!" Rainpaw yowled. The cats raced towards him.

"Flametail! Forestpelt! Silvertail!" Rainpaw yowled to them "I thought I would only s-"

"Shhhh! There's been more enemy warriors around here!" Flametail growled.

"Sorry. I didn't know." Rainpaw mewed, embarrassed.

"It's okay, you didn't know." Silvertail mewed, half to Rainpaw and half to Flametail.

Flametail muttered to himself and looked around, as if expecting enemy warriors to attack at any moment.

"Let's take her body back to camp. Then the elders can bury her." Silvertail mewed to all of them. "And Rainpaw, I'd like to speak to you."

Rainpaw followed her to the other side of a large rock.

"What is it?" Rainpaw mewed when she stopped.

"I told the clan you died with Fernflower. We thought you had died-"

"I did." Rainpaw mewed, remembering his dream.

"But you're alive you can't have died, you're here!"

"Well…" Rainpaw mew as he started to explain his dream.

"Wow!" Silvertail ended.

They walked around the rock to see Flametail and Forestpelt arguing about who would carry the body.

"How about Rainpaw and I do. We had the highest relationships with her." Silvertail mewed.

"Sound's good. After all, you're right." Forestpelt concluded.

Rainpaw dragged Fernflower's body though the hole in the brambles. Sad faces greeted him. They all thought he was dead.

"Rainpaw! Rainpaw! We all thought you were dead!" yowled a high voice. All the cats turned to the gate. Grayheart bounded to the entrance of Darkstar's den.

Rainpaw looked around the camp. A black and white tom came rushing out to greet him. It was Hailpaw.

_No! Not Hailpaw! He follows me everywhere he can!_ Rainpaw thought. Sure enough, Hailpaw began his usual blabbering.

"I'm so glad you're back! If you died, I would have no friends! None! Zip! Zero!" he mewed with annoyingly hard to deal with excitement.

_First of all, I'm not you're friend. You're a annoying kit that follows me around NOT my friend. _Rainpaw thought. He pushed Hailpaw out of the way with his paw. He could see Darkstar standing in the rear of the crowd. He had something to ask her.

"Who's the new deputy? He asked her. A pleased look spread out on Darkstar's face.

"No-one yet. It was nearly dawn when Forestpelt and Silvertail got here, so…" She mewed.

"So…" Rainpaw urged her on.

"…So I haven't named one yet." Darkstar finished.

Just then, a black and white apprentice leaped up. "Oh Rainpaw and-" Hailpaw mewed.

"Shut your muzzle and save it for later, Hailpaw." Rainpaw mewed.

_I can't believe he's an apprentice._ Rainpaw thought. Suddenly it struck him that the whole evening had passed without him knowing.

"Good-night." he mewed under his breath. With that, he turned to the apprentice's den and was asleep before his head hit the ground.

"Rainpaw! Wake up!" the high voice of Hailpaw mewed. Rainpaw blinked his eyes open. A crowd had gathered beneath Cactus Rock. Rainpaw leaped up to join it. Darkstar glanced him, telling him to come. Suddenly, he understood why.

"We gather here 'round Cactus Rock for two reasons. The first is to give Rainpaw his warrior name!" Darkstar announced. "Rainpaw, Fernflower taught you well in how to fight and how to hunt. She also taught you to understand love and sacrifice-two things many warriors don't learn. Tonight, under Starclan and Fernflower, I shall grant you your warrior name!" Darkstar's voice softened. "Rainpaw, do you promise to live by the warrior code and to protect your clan, Desertclan, even at the cost your life?" she mewed.

"I do." Rainpaw mewed.

"Then you shall now be known as Rainpool!" she mewed. The newly-named Rainpool looked around at the cheering crowd.

Darkstar silenced her clan with a flick of her clan. "We also Gather here to name the new deputy!" She mewed. Grayheart opened his eyes wide. He was an elderly gray tabby. He would be a good choice as deputy and he knew it.

"I say this over the body of Fernflower, so she can hear and approve my choice. The new deputy will be" Grayheart trembled with excitement.

"-Rainpool" Darkstar mewed. Rainpool opened his eyes wide with astonishment. He, a newly named warrior, as deputy.

"But he hasn't a apprentice!" Grayheart yowled.

"No, but the kits he saved will be six moons old soon. He will take one as apprentice then." Darkstar mewed. "Speaking of kits, They need names. Rainpool, I give you the honor to name them, as you saved them." Rainpool had begun to think he was dreaming by that point.

"Skykit and Sunkit." Rainpool mewed. "The silver one is Skykit and the golden one is Sunkit."

"Good names." Darkstar commented quietly. Rainpool thought he saw a glint in her eye, and it sent a shiver down his back.


	5. Last Life

Chapter Three: Last Life

* * *

Rainpool looked up in between the the branches of the desert bush making the warriors dem. Sunlight streamed in, lighting up the inside. Rainpool yawned and steped out. Hailpaw padded up to him.

"Guess what! Rainfur gave birth to Flametail's kits! Their so cute." He mewed.

"Oh! How many?" Rainpool asked. For the first time, Hailpaw was saying something interesting.

"Three. Two toms and a she-cat. At least, that's what Flametail said."

"I thought you had seen them."

"I did, I just didn't know if they were toms or she-cats."

"Oh. Of course."

"And by the way, Darkstar wants you in her den." Hailpaw mewed.

"Okay." Rainpool mewed, glad of the chance to leave the annoying apprentice.

He padded over to the large cactus with a hole in the bottem.

"Um... Darkstar?" He mewed, having not forgotten the night before, and how her eyes had glinted with something that frightened him.

"Rainpool?" Came a vioce from inside. It was a bit weaker sounding then Darkstar.

"Yes." Mewed Rainpool.

"Come in" Darkstar croaked.

Rainpool pushed the brush away from the entrance so he could get through the hole and into the giant cactus. He squeezed his body through the tiny hole. He felt the spine prick his coat, sending a tingling sensation down his body.

It was dark, hot and suprisingly humid inside the den. It was lined with dry grasses so that the moister of the water holding plant wouldn't seep through as much. At the center, a large nest of dried grass, clay and sand. It was Darkstar's.

"Rainpool! Croaked a shape in the nest. It was Darkstar.

"Yes?" Rainpool mewed. The weak leader frightoned Rainpool. He had never seen her like this.

"I have just lost my eighth life. I am on my last. You will be leader soon. Inform the clan, but tell them I have sevon, instead of one life left. Tell Spottedpelt I need more herbs, too." Darkstar groaned. "I have a disease of a kind I dont know. It woke me in the middle of the night. I couldn't breath, and I lost my seventh life. Spotted pelt came and gave me some herbs, and I fell back aslseep. Then, this morning, I woke up and couldn't breath again. I'd tell you the whole story, but I need rest."

Rainpool bowed his head, and left the sickly leader to herself.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here, in the shadow of the Cactus Rock!" Rainpool announced and he leaped onto the Cactus Rock, a large boulder in the middle of the clearing, next to the leader's den.

One by one, the cats of Desertclan snasembled themselves.

"Is Darkstar dead?" Mewed Brownpaw, a look of terror in his eyes.

"No, Darkstar isn't dead!" Rainpool anounced. "But she has lost two lives to an unknown sickness. She now has seven lives left. That is all."

Rainpool leaped down. Now he needed to find Spottedpelt, the medicine cat. He saw her heading towards her den. He ran to catch up with her.

"Spottedpelt!" Rainpool mewed. Spottedpelt let him catch up.

"What is it?" She asked. Her voice was soft and genllt like a feather.

"Dark... Star... Need's... Herb-" Rainpool only maneged that much before he was engulfed in a tide of blackness.


	6. Stress Hurts

Chapter Four: Stress Hurts

The den was covered in mist. A white she-cat tended to Rainpool. Her blue eyes were like saphires, glinting with beuty. Her coat shone like moonlight. She looked over to see Rainpool.

"Would you like something to drink?" She asked him.

"Yes, please.'' Rainpool mewed.

The white she-cat dipped the leaf in a pool of moonlight, and it filled with water. The cat gave him the moonlight-water. Rainpool drank a bit. It was like drinking moonlight. It was icy cold and firey hot at the same time. When the leaf was emty, he asked,

"Who are you?"

"I'm Spottedpelt, of course!" Rang Spottedpelts voice. Rainpool looked up. Spottedpelt and Darkstar looked down at the duputy.

"But, the white she-cat! The one that looked like moonlight!" Rainpool mewed.

"You were just dreaming." Spottedpelt mewed.

"But!"

"Shut!"

"But Spottedpelt, realy!"

"Up!"

Rainpool closed his mouth.

"Well, now that we know he's not dead, you can leave." Spottedpeld mewed to Darkstar. There was an untrusting look on her face. Darkstar swished her tail, turned, and left.

"Why did I pass out?" Rainpool mewed.

"You were very stressed." Spottedpelt mewed. "Do you still want to know about that she-cat?"

"Yes."

"Well. Her name was Littlestar. She was your mother's best friend. She died mystieriesly after mother. In my opinon, Darkstar killed her to becoem leader, but, no-one realy knows."

"Spottedpelt, Darkstar told me not to tell anyong, but, Darkstar's on her last life. I though you should know." Rainpool mewed.

"You need to rest. Go back to sleep. Don't wrry yourself anymore."


	7. Pawprint in Time

Chapter Five: A Pawprint in Time

Rainpool stretched his legs in as he came out of the warrior's den. He yawned. He was finaly allowed to go out, and he had somthing on his mind. _Had Darkstar killed Littlestar? _He decided to find out more. Silvertail seemed a reasonable choice to try and squeeze somthing out of. She was Hollyheart's sister, and she couldn't keep her mouth shut.

"Silvertail, Can I ask you something?" He asked, trying to sound official.

"Sure, what?" Said Silvertail.

"Follow me." Rainpool said. The two cats paced out of camp and into the desert.

"What do you know about Littlestar's death?" Rainpool asked as soon as they were out of sight.

"Darkstar, or Darkheart, as she was called then, Sunstorm, or Sunpaw as she was, and Littlestar were on the dawn patrol. Darkstar said she heard coyotes, and told Sunstorm slash Sunpaw to go back to camp. Littlestar and Darkstar went on. Then Darkstar came back into camp an anounced that Littlestar had been killed by coyotes. She _did _seem kind of happy. That's all I know. You should ask Sunstorm." Silvertail said. Rainpool sighed. Another cat.

"Well, you can go. Thanks." Rainpool said. Next, he would try Sunstorm.

"What do you know about Littlestar?" Rainpool asked Sunstorm once they got out. He decided to learn more about the former leader as well.

"Well, She was a tall, thin white she-cat. She had blue eyes and a really long tail." Sunstorm said. She wasn't very discriptive.

"What about her death?" Rainpool promted.

"Well, She was killed by coyotes, sayd Darkstar. But I saw Darkstar lay claw on Littlestar. I saw her deliver a deathblow. I questined her about it. First she denied it, but then she said that she ment to hit a coyote, but missed. But Darkstar's realy good with blows and wouldn't miss. I's still suspcious." Sunstorm said.

"Thanks." Rainpool's eyes shone. Finaly, a pawprint in time.


End file.
